Thinkpads Forum

SOLD to forum member Near mint condition, 8GB, black iPhone but iCloud activation locked.

* Image removed *

Bottom line, cosmetically the phone is near mint, only a couple of faint scratches on the back. It boots up fine and the battery seems very strong, lasting days in standby mode. I cannot fully test the phone because it is activation locked to the prior owner, who I do not know or know their email address. However, I can connect to my wifi network during setup, but cannot get past the screen requesting the prior owner. (This phone was not reported as lost or stolen.)

More pictures --> * Link removed *

It would certainly be a great parts phone. The full model info is below. No other accessories (cables or adapters) are included - only the phone plus a deactivated AT&T micro SIM card.

Reduced to $49 delivered in the U.S. PayPal, USPS money order or cash accepted.

iPhone 4
MD126LL/A
8GB
IOS 7.1.2 installed
Serial #: (removed)
IMEI #: (removed)
AT&T carrier locked
iCloud activation locked

I'm kind of out of touch (no pun intended) with iOS devices, but can't you just put it into recovery mode and reload a factory image onto it?

last I heard once it connects to iTunes the IMEI gets synched and it gets locked from then on.

You can put it in recovery mode and reload a fresh copy of the IOS, but the phone is still activation locked to the previous user that did not disable iCloud services.

if not reported lost or stolen can you not go to apple and have it unlocked..?

and, since i'm kinda nosey, where did this thing come from..?

Apple won't help people remove the prior iCloud account. Without question, they have the prior owner's credentials and contact info, but presumably they are in some way not invading the prior owner's privacy by not contacting them to request whether it is OK or not to remove their iCloud account. In the end, this policy certainly sells many more iPhones.

I purchased it from eBay on the chance that the seller did not accurately describe the "lock" condition -- the ad wasn't well written. I was hoping it was either just "locked" to AT&T (which would have been fine) or just had the 4 digit "lock code" enabled (which a complete reset would have removed). I got what I paid for, an iCloud locked iPhone. (But at least the IMEI was clean.)

It's a great parts or project phone.

(It may wind up back on eBay, albeit, with a more accurate description.)

As mentioned, the iCloud lock isn't easily removed like a normal security code. The phone's serial is loaded to Apple's database and attached to the iTunes account it was registered with, and Apple treats all such devices as "found" so they won't help reset it without original proof of purchase.

Ugh, the LAST thing I need is another project phone, but I'm still tempted. Let me mull it over for a couple days.